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sprinkle - 7 dictionary results

sprin⋅kle

[spring-kuhl] verb, -kled, -kling, noun
–verb (used with object)
1. to scatter (a liquid, powder, etc.) in drops or particles: She sprinkled powder on the baby.
2. to disperse or distribute here and there.
3. to overspread with drops or particles of water, powder, or the like: to sprinkle a lawn.
4. to diversify or intersperse with objects scattered here and there.
–verb (used without object)
5. to scatter or disperse liquid, a powder, etc., in drops or particles.
6. to be sprinkled.
7. to rain slightly (often used impersonally with it as subject): It may sprinkle this evening.
–noun
8. the act or an instance of sprinkling.
9. something used for sprinkling.
10. Usually, sprinkles. small particles of chocolate, candy, sugar, etc., used as a decorative topping for cookies, cakes, ice-cream cones, and the like.
11. a light rain.
12. a small quantity or number.

Origin:
1350–1400; ME sprenklen (v.); c. D sprenkelen, G sprenkeln; akin to OE sprengan to sprinkle, make (something) spring, scatter, causative of springan to spring


1. distribute, rain. Sprinkle, scatter, strew mean to fling, spread, or disperse. To sprinkle means to fling about small drops or particles: to sprinkle water on clothes, powder on plants. To scatter is to disperse or spread widely: to scatter seeds. To strew is to scatter, esp. in such a way as to cover or partially cover a surface: to strew flowers on a grave.
sprin·kle   (sprĭng'kəl)   
v.   sprin·kled, sprin·kling, sprin·kles

v.   tr.
  1. To scatter in drops or particles: sprinkled sugar on the cereal.
  2. To scatter drops or particles on.
  3. To intersperse with something as if by scattering: sprinkled his speech with quotations.
  4. To distribute or intersperse at random.
v.   intr.
  1. To scatter something in drops or particles.
  2. To fall or rain in small or infrequent drops.
n.  
  1. The act of sprinkling.
  2. A light rainfall.
  3. A small amount; a sprinkling.
  4. sprinkles Small particles of candy sprinkled on ice cream as a topping.

[Middle English sprenklen, perhaps of Middle Dutch or Middle Low German origin.]

Sprinkle

Sprin"kle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sprinkled; p. pr. & vb. n. Sprinkling.] [OE. sprenkelen, freq. of sprengen to sprinkle, to scatter, AS. sprengan, properly, to make to spring, causative of springan to spring; akin to D. sprenkelen to sprinkle, G. sprengen. See Spring, v. i., and cf. Sprent.]

1. To scatter in small drops or particles, as water, seed, etc.

2. To scatter on; to disperse something over in small drops or particles; to besprinkle; as, to sprinkle the earth with water; to sprinkle a floor with sand.

3. To baptize by the application of a few drops, or a small quantity, of water; hence, to cleanse; to purify.

Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience. --Heb. x. 22.

Sprinkle

Sprin"kle\, v. i. 1. To scatter a liquid, or any fine substance, so that it may fall in particles.

And the priest shall . . . sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord. --Lev. xiv. 16.

2. To rain moderately, or with scattered drops falling now and then; as, it sprinkles.

3. To fly or be scattered in small drops or particles.

Sprinkle

Sprin"kle\, n. 1. A small quantity scattered, or sparsely distributed; a sprinkling.

2. A utensil for sprinkling; a sprinkler. [Obs.]
Language Translation for : sprinkle
Italian: spargere, cospargere; spruzzare,
German: streuen,besprenkeln,
Japanese: ふりかける

sprinkle 
1382 (implied in sprinkled), frequentative of sprenge (see spring (v.)) or via M.Du., M.L.G. sprenkel "spot, speck," from PIE base *(s)preg- "to jerk, scatter" (cf. L. spargere "to scatter, sprinkle"). The meaning "rain lightly" is first recorded 1778. Sprinkling "small amount" first recorded 1594. Sprinkler is attested from 1535.

Main Entry: sprin·kle
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: sprin·kled; sprin·kling
: SPRAY
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